Pictorial and biographical memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, Indiana, together with biographies of many prominent men of northern Indiana and of the whole state, both living and dead, Part 38

Author:
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, Goodspeed Brothers
Number of Pages: 786

USA > Indiana > Elkhart County > Pictorial and biographical memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, Indiana, together with biographies of many prominent men of northern Indiana and of the whole state, both living and dead > Part 38
USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > Pictorial and biographical memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, Indiana, together with biographies of many prominent men of northern Indiana and of the whole state, both living and dead > Part 38

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MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.

daughter of Benjamin Zeigler. Mr. and Mrs. West have one daughter named Mabel. Mrs. West was the mother of two children at the time of her second marriage, George V. and Mattie J. Cornell. Mr. West is a member of the K. of P., Middlebury Lodge, No. 311, in which he holds the office of prelate. In politics he is a Prohibitionist, and is a firm believer in the temperance movement of the present day. He has recently been elected justice of the peace, but held the same office in 1890, the admirable way in which he adjusted his neighbors' difficulties resulting in his present election, which office he won, although his opponent was a prominent old office holder and a man highly esteemed. He is the owner of real estate in Middlebury, comprising in all, besides the lots on which his residence and shop are situated, nine seres within the corporation. He stands deservedly high among the people of Middlebury, and is a citizen of excellent morals. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which Mr. West is a licensed exhorter. He is also Sunday-school superintendent and holds the office of steward. He is an intelligent man who holds his own views on all subjects, and, being a wide resder of good litersture, his views sre practical and sound. David B. Zeigler, a brother of Mrs. West, was a member of an Indians regiment, enlist- ing from Jefferson township, Elkhart county, in 1862, and was killed at the battle .of Murfreesboro, Tenn. He, in partnership with Mathew S. Caldwell, of South Bend, established an extensive cannery in Middlebury in the spring of 1893, for the putting up of fruits and vegetables.

STEPHEN M. CUMMINS, D. D. S. In this country where so many young men are thrown upon their own resources at an early age and are often obliged, while yet inexperienced and while yet unfamiliar with their own tendencies and inclinations, to choose their occupation in life, it can not always be expected that the most snit- able or congenial pursuit will be selected. It thus often occurs that s young man finds after a few years that he has made a mistake, and that in some other pursuit he can find a larger sum of pleasure and more substantial results. In the old country, where too often genius and ambition are both absolutely opposed by the old adage, " follow your father, my son, and do se your father has done," young men do not have the advantage they have here. In this country it is the trend of legislation to place no obstacle in the way of the full development of talent and the sky- ward expansion of genius. Consequently, it should be impressed upon the minds of youth that they should begin at an early age to practice introspection and should seriously study the famous Delphic oracle, "know thyself." They will thus find as suitable sn occupation as did Stephen M. Cummine who, while yet young, selected an occupation, that of dentistry, which apparently was just suited to his qualifications and desires. But in the case of Mr. Cummins, as in the case of many other men possessing s great variety of natural gifts, other occupations might have been chosen and the same or higher success have been schieved. This can not be used as an argument against the importance of self study, because, notwithstanding the great variety of natural gifts, it is still true that each person should discover what he is best fitted for and what pursuit contributes mostly to his pleasure and his purse. While Mr. Cummins would unquestionably have made a success as a business man, or as a practitioner of law or many other of the learned professions, it is likewise true that no dentist in Indians has gone down deeper into the details of his profession, or carried the practice to greater per- fection. Let us see what he has accomplished.

He was born in Elderton, Penn., August 22, 1839, and is of that famous Scotch-Irish sncestry which is noted for having given to the world nearly all the grest orators and many of the most distinguished statesmen of modern times. Thus to begin with he was blessed with the blood and the renown of a famous race, a persistent, aggressive people destined to rise in company with the Anglo-Saxon to the highest civilization yet seen on earth. The family of which he is a distin- guished member first came to America for permanent residence about the time of the

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Revolutionary war and located in the eastern part of the " Keystone State," where many of the descendants yet reside. The Doctor's father, William S. Cummins, was born in Indians county, Penn., and was there reared and educated. Upon attaining his majority he went to an adjoining county and followed his trade of carpentering, and there married Miss Isabellas M. George, the mother of Stephen M. She came of an excellent family and in time presented her husband with five children, but unfortunately died when our subject was about twelve years of age and lies buried in the cemetery of the United Presbyterian Church in Arm- strong county, Penn. It thus transpired through the inscrutable providence of God that Stephen M. was destined to grow to manhood without the loving care of & mother, though through his tenderer years she had guided his footsteps. His youth and early manhood were passed in his native State and there a limited edu- cation only was secured to supplement his strong Scotch-Irish qualities. In 1855, not being certain of what he wanted, he undertook to learn the molder's trade under the guidance of an uncle, but was soon forced to abandon it, owing to failing health. Fortunately he then hit upon the profession which fate decreed should be his ocen- pation through life-dentistry. He began the study at the age of seventeen years, and after close application and hard study, for about two years, hung out his shingle in Dayton, Penn. But he did not cease studying. He realized fully the great importance of keeping abreast of the times in the development of methods and appli- ances; in fact, from that day to this has been a constant student of the principles of his profession. This fact, coupled with his clear mind, strict honesty and determi- nation, has been the secret of his success. In 1859 he came farther west and . located at Bluffton, Ind., subsequently moving to Warsaw, Ind., and in 1862 to Elkhart, where he has since lived and labored. Upon his arrival here he was but twenty-two years old, was withont money or friends, had no resources whatever, as his father was poor, save his intelligence, pluck, laudable ambition and unswerving honesty of purpose. Yes, he had also the high renown of his race and had his profession. What could be expected but the acquirement of & competency and an honorable name? But he was compelled to struggle amid diecouragements, for a great war was upon the nation and times were too hard to patronize the dentist, when aches could be borne, or teeth extracted gratis by the village blacksmith. Amid the hard times the outlook was rendered more discouraging by his ill health- in fact, sickness prevented him from entering the army and well nigh prevented him from making a livelihood from his profession. Steadily, as times grew better, his business expanded and his skill increased. Customers continued to multiply and prosperity was assured. Friends arose around him, for his life was pure, his social attainments high and his manners attractive and winning. Thus he grew in influence and usefulness until to-day he is one of the most distinguished citizens of the State. His first nopretentious office was in Morehouse block on Main street, and there bis first years of waiting and discouragement were passed. Now his elegant rooms are a delight to the eye and his practice is probably the largest in the State. After a time he found himself unable to do the work required of him and was compelled to secure assistants, of which he now has several. All the latest and most improved methods and appliances are found in his well-equipped office. A full set of beautiful teeth can be produced in his office in four hours. Every improvement which inven- tion and science has given to the dental world has been taken advantage of by Dr. Cummins. In 1869 he took the degree of doctor of dental surgery from the Ohio College of Dental Surgery, Cincinnati. In 1885 he was elected mayor of Elkhart and served one term. Back in his life when he was first endeavoring to solve the bread and butter problem, while he was st Bluffton, Ind., he met, loved and won a beautiful girl, Miss Helen M. Case, of that town, and they were married. Two sweet, accomplished daughters are the result of this union. The Doctor is gentlemanly, full of enterprise and energy, a lover of home and country, and affilistes with the Masonic fraternity and the Episcopal Church.

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MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.

ALBERT J. KNEPP, of Middlebury, Ind., is among the self-made and practical business men of this town and has certainly been the architect of his own fortunes. as he began life with nothing except a sturdy determination to succeed by industry and thrift. He comes of an old colonial family of Pennsylvania, whose ancestors came from Germany at a period long antedating the American Revolution. The great-grandfather of Albert J. Knepp, Peter Knepp, was a soldier of that war and his son Peter was a soldier of the War of 1812, and gave valnable aid to the American cause. He resided with his people in Snyder county, Penn., for many years, and there he became a substantial and progressive farmer, a calling to which his attention was directed the greater portion of his life. His son Peter, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in that county and was there married to Sophia Smith, by whom he became the father of six children: Edward, Albert J., Sophia, Margaret, Polly and Calvin. The father of these children, like his father before him, became an honest and prosperous tiller of the soil, won the highest respect of his acquaintances as an honest and upright man, and at all times supported the platform of the Republican party. At the present time he is supervisor of this township and is in the enjoyment of the public's confidence as well as in the enjoyment of a comfortable competency. His son, Albert J. Knepp, was born in Snyder county, Penn., July 24, 1855 on the farm belonging to his father, and in the district schools in the vicinity of his home he received a practical common- school education, the intervale between the school terms being devoted to following the plow or wielding the hoe on the home farm. When twenty-one years of age, on the 24th of December, 1877, he led to the hymeneal altar Miss Mary Haines, daughter of Joseph and Harriet (Ronch) Haines, who were also Pennsylvanians of German descent. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Knepp, Gertie, who was born on the 7th of January, 1878. After his marriage Mr. Knepp adopted the trade of a miller, which he learned under his father-in-law, and for three years worked at this business in Pennsylvania. In 1881 he decided to follow Horace Greeley's advice and "go west," and the same year settled on a farm near Emporia, Kan., but after a residence there of one year he settled in Goshen, Ind .. and became an employe of the Goshen Milling Company, with which he remained for five years and here gained the reputation of being a first-class and painstaking miller. Through the exercise of economy, thrift and self-denial, his earnings gradually accumulated until he had amassed considerable meane, with which he purchased a half interest in the Middlebury Flouring Mill, of Joseph R. Ludwig, and came to Middlebury to reside. At that time the mill contained old-fashioned machinery, having bnt three runs of stones, but Mr. Knepp immediately began to make improvements, and soon had the mill equipped with modern machinery and it is now a full roller mill, pro- ducing exceptionally fine flour for the general trade, made by the new process sys- tem, meal and feed being also extensively ground. The mill was nicely fitted up in modern style at a cost of between $7,000 and $8,000, and through his own efforts he now ranks among the first millers of the State, and is intimately acquainted with all the latest methods for procuring fine flour. The firm does business under the name of Knepp & Elliott, and their trade has grown to such proportions that from three to four car loads of flour are shipped per week. besides the large amount of flour that goes to supply the home custom. The business is constantly on the increase and is successfully managed by Mr. Knepp, who is one of those men who, by determina- tion, industry, thrift and economy, raises himself from a humble begining to rank among the highest civilians. Such men as he are model American citizens and con- stitute the most sterling elements of society. He is held in high esteem by the people and has been a member of the town council of Middlebury, to which he was elected by his numerons Republican friends. He and his wife are members in good standing of the Lutheran Church, and for many years have kept the faith.

PETER CRIPE. This gentleman is one of the many who have spent the greater

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portion of their lives in developing the country that their children and grandchil- dren might enjoy the advantages which they themselves were denied. In fact, these of the present day are the heirs of all the ages and profit by the labor and self-de- nial of the hard-working classes of times past. Mr. Cripe is a Montgomery county Ohioan, where he was born May 12, 1824, his parents being John and Eva (Roof) Cripe, natives of Pennsylvania. John Cripe was born August 5, 1798, and in the State of his birth.he was reared on a farm, in which State he was also married De- cember 26, 1813, his wife being a daughter of Peter and Margaret (Replogle) Roof, who were also born in the Keystone State. John Cripe removed to Montgomery county, Ohio, at an early day and after residing there on a farm until the fall of 1830, came with his family to St. Joseph county, Ind., and in German township, entered 380 acres of land, on which he erected a log cabin, and like the majority of pioneer settlers commenced at the beginning. In less than two years after his set- tlement he had entered about 900 acres of land in St. Joseph county, which, by energy and economy typical of the pioneer, he succeeded in greatly enhancing in valne by judicious improvements. Unfortunately he did not attain an advanced age, for his death occurred February 25, 1847, at the age of fifty-eight years. His widow survived him until December 12, 1863, having borne him a family of twelve children who were christened as follows: Elizabeth, Eva, Daniel, Margaret, Mary, John, Peter, Adam, David, Jacob, Fannie and Samuel. Peter Cripe came with his parents to this county and the greater portion of his life has been spent in German town- ship, with the interests of which he has thoroughly identified himself. His educa- tion was principally obtained in the subscription schools then in vogne but his advan- tages in this respect were of quite a limited nature. When his father died in 1849 the paternal duties of the family fell upon his shoulders and a younger brother, but the latter died about a year later and his responsibilities and duties became still greater. He remained on the old homestead until 1855. when he took np his residence on the farm where he now lives, which consists of 123 acres of land which his father entered in an early day. At the time he settled on this land it was en- tirely covered with timber, but since then it has been cleared and made into a fine farm, well improved with buildings of all descriptions. January 14, 1855, he was married to Tilistia Skiles, who has been a resident of the county from her birth, which occurred May 5, 1836, her parents being Thomas and Mary (Fair) Skiles, who came to this section in 1830 from Ohio, the father having previously come in 1828, although he did not remain long at that time. At the present time he makes his home with his daughter, Mra. Cripe, in Clay township, his wife being deceased. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Cripe resulted in the birth of nine children: Sarah J., Fannie, John, Edward, David, Jacob, Evaline, Elsie and Mary. Mr. Cripe is now the owner of 112 acres, nearly all of which is under cultivation and yields a very profitable income. Mr. and Mrs. Cripe are members of the German Baptist Church, and although not strictly partisan and by no means an office seeker, he is a Repub- lican in politics.

MOSES A. CORDREY. One of the honored and respected citizens of Middlebury, Ind., is the postmaster, Moses A. Cordrey, who is possessed of those advanced ideas and progressive principles which seem to be among the chief characteristics of the average Ohioan. He was born in Tuscarawas county, February 9, 1836, to the mar- riage of Thomas G. and Sarah (Shuster) Cordrey, and is one of the following children: Mary L., Nathan A., Margaret J., Dorcas, Daniel D., Sarah A., Moses A., Comfort, Eliza, Christiana and Diana. Thomas D. Cordrey was born in Pennsyl- vania in 1801, secured a fair education in the common schools, and in connection with farming, also learned the carpenter's trade. He was married in Columbiana county, Ohio, to Miss Shuster, daughter of Daniel Shuster, a farmer, and shortly after- ward settled in Tuscarawas county, that State, near New Philadelphia, and worked at his trade. He died in the prime of life, in 1844. Both he and his wife were members in good standing in the Bible Christian Church, and he took a decided in-

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terest in educational matters, being school director for some time. He was respected by all for his integrity and uprightness of character. His father, Nathan Cordrey, was born in Pennsylvania and came to America when a young man. Settling in Lancaster, Penn., he was engaged in farming there until 1823, when he came to Ohio and located in Tuscarawas county, on wild land. He cleared up a good farm and on this passed the remainder of his days, dying at the advanced age of ninety- four years. At one time he was a contractor on the Erie Canal. "He married Miss Sarah Ayers and became the father of nine children. Moses A. Cordrey was left an orphan at the early age of eight years, and from that time on made his own way in life. He made his home with his brother-in-law, R. Jones, afterward a merchant of Middlebury, and continued with him until fourteen years of age, re- ceiving his education in the common schools. He came to Indiana with Mr. Jones, arriving in La Grange county, April 22, 1845, and settled with him on wild land. He remained with him eight years, and then for two years worked for farmers in the vicinity. In 1852 he came to Middlebury, where Mr. Jones had already settled, and began the miller's trade, at which he worked for four months. He was then taken sick with bilious typhoid fever and for some time his life was despaired of. After recovering he clerked for Mr. Jones, in the latter's dry goods store, for five years, during which time he attended school in Middlebury and one year at & high school at Wolcottville, Ind. After serving as a clerk he learned the business of grafting fruit trees, and during the spring of each year worked at this business for at least fifteen years, traveling in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Kentucky. During this time he also worked at honse painting. During the Rebellion he enlisted at Middlebury, August 9, 1862, in Company I, Eighty-eighth Regiment Indiana Volun- teer Infantry, and served nearly three years. He was taken sick at Louisville, Ky., and for three months was very near death. On recovering he became ward master in the same hospital and served until the fall of 1863, when he was transferred to Hospital No. 1, Louisville, as hospital steward, remaining in the same for four months. He was then transferred to East Capital Prison, and under the title of sergeant had full charge of this prison, which contained on an average 300 prisoners. In one room bounty jumpers were exclusively confined, in another guer- rillas, among them being Capt. Davidson, Jerome Clark, Ellis, Sumanday, Mc- Gregor, Major Jones and many other daring men. Capt. Davidson escaped while Mr. Cordrey was home on a furlough. The way our subject came to hold this re- sponsible position was as follows: General John M. Palmer, who had charge of the East Capital Prison, had considerable trouble to get an honest man to take charge of the prisoners, their money and effects. The bounty jumpers and substitutes often had a considerable amount of money and the officers in charge of the prison had been accused by them of dishonesty. On one occasion a prisoner complained that he had been robbed of $65. Gen. Palmer made the remark that if he could find an honest private he would put him in charge of the prison. (The position was then held by a second lieutenant.) Dr. A. J. Octerlomey, the physician in charge of Hospital No. 8, exclaimed: "General, you have the man right here in your office, Private Cordrey." Mr. Cordrey was then writing at a desk about twenty feet from Gen. Palmer, who turned to his adjutant and said: "Write an order for Cor- drey to take charge of East Capital Prison." Mr. Cordrey was in charge of the prison for thirteen months and during that time handled much money belonging to his prisoners, at one time having in his box $39,000 of their money. He served in this prison until his discharge on June 23, 1865, at Indianapolis. The war being over, he returned home and began clerking in a drug store. On December 25, 1865, he married Miss Elizabeth J. Sherwood, daughter of John and Amy (- - -) Sherwood. Mr. Sherwood was a farmer of Tompkins county, N.

Y. To Mr. and Mrs. Cordrey were born three children: William E., Frank D. and R. A. After his marriage Mr. Cordrey was engaged as clerk in different busi- ness enterprises in Middlebury, until 1873, when he bought a book and general sta-

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tionary store and is at present engaged in this business. He was appointed post- master during Hayes' administration in 1879, and served five years. During Har- rison's first administration he was again appointed and is still holding that office, with credit to himself and to the evident satisfaction of the people. In politics he is s stanch Republican. Mr. Cordrey is one of the charter members of the O. & M. Fos- ter Post, No. 172, G. A. R., Middlebury, and has been adjutant eight years. He snd Mrs. Cordrey are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and he has held the office of steward and recording secretary. Socially he is a member of the Masonic Lodge of Middlebury, No. 327. Mr. Cordrey has given his children good educational advantages and has resson to be proud of them. His son, William E., graduated from the graded school of Middlebury and has been a school teacher, and Frank D. is attending the normal school at Ada, Ohio, is making a specialty of civil engineer- ing, and is a promising young man. Mr. Cordrey is well known in Middlebury and the surrounding county as a man of impeachable honesty and uprightness, and one who has the welfare of the county at heart. As an official he is popular, being polite, accommodating. prompt and accurate. For eight years he was secretary of the town council of Middlebury and two years township trustee.

C. H. CLARK is the proprietor of one of the most popular and best managed boot and shoe emporiums of Elkhart, and has a paying patronage among the elite of the city, as he deserves to have, for he not only deals in the best goods procurable but sells them st very reasonable rates, and is strictly honorable in every respect in his busi- ness transactions. He is a product of Monroe county, Mich., where he was born on the 5th of June, 1846, a son of George W. and Harriet L. (Barnaby) Clark, both of whom were born in the Empire State, and with the energy which is characteristic of the people of that State, emigrated to Michigan st an early day, and in 1860 locsted in Lenawee county, where he became a dry goods merchant. He was a pronounced Republican, and was held in high esteem in that locality, not only for his correct business methods but for his many amiable traits of character. His widow survives him. The paternal grandfather, E. Laffet Clark, was one of the framers of the con- stitution of Michigan, of which region he became an inhabitant when it was a Terri- tory. The ancestry on the mother's side were soldiers in the War of 1812, snd Charles H. Clark. the subject of this sketch, has in his possession a parchment deed which was given his maternal grandfather, for 160 acres of land for services rendered in that war. The father was twice married, and six of the seven children born to him are now living: Charles H., W. J., Ambrose B., Clara S., Harriet and George. Charles H. Clark resided on a farm in Michigan until 1860, during which time he learned lessons of industry, perseverance and economy, which were of material bene- fit to him when he entered his father's mercantile establishment. He remained with him as a clerk until 1863, when he went to Pittsburg, Penn., and took a commercial course in a college of that city, after which he taught school for about one year. In 1864 he went to La Porte, Ind., where he clerked in a dry goods store until 1868, st the end of which time he went on the road as a commercial traveler, for C. Buell & Co., of Waterville, N. Y., after which he was with Dewey, Rogers & Co., of Cleveland, Ohio, for three years. Succeeding this he came to Elkhart, Ind., and was with the Elkhart Knitting Company, and three years later entered the employ of Field, Thayer & Co., of Boston, Mass., shoe merchants, with whom he remained a little over three years. This experience was of inestimable valne to him, and served to give him a thorough insight into the business. After remaining with this house for three years he came to Elkhart and engaged in the shoe hnsiness 88 manager of the establishment of A. B. Clark & Co., which, owing to his thor- ough knowledge of the business and his faculty of winning friends, he has since retained to the satisfaction of his employers. Politically he is a thorough and ardent Republican, is chairman of the city central committee and vice-chairman of the county central committee. He has been a member of the city council for three years, and has in various ways manifested his interest in the affairs of his city and section. In

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Pictorial and biographical memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, Indiana, together with biographies of many prominent men of northern Indiana and of the whole state, both living and dead, Part 38

Author: Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago, Goodspeed Brothers Number of Pages: 786

Author:
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, Goodspeed Brothers
Number of Pages: 786